title: Microvascular decompression by retrosigmoid approach for trigeminal neuralgia: experience in 200 patients.
abstract: Trigeminal neuralgia is often seen in elderly persons. Two hundred patients with trigeminal neuralgia were submitted to microvascular decompression by a retrosigmoid approach. The surgical procedure is described. Vascular compression of the nerves was noticed in all these patients at operation. One hundred ninety-seven had relief of symptoms postoperatively, for a 98.5% cure rate. In addition, we suggest that another important cause is arteriosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Oto-neurosurgical Group, PLA Air Force Xiang Fan Hospital, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Z T
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Shun
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000601:surgery*; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*